Alabama women's tennis wins regional

Alabama’s Alexa Guarachi celebrates during her match at the NCAA Tuscaloosa Regional on Saturday at the Alabama Tennis Stadium. The Crimson Tide defeated Memphis and advances to the round of 16

crimsontidephotos.com

By Tommy DeasExecutive Sports Editor

Published: Sunday, May 12, 2013 at 3:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Saturday, May 11, 2013 at 11:50 p.m.

TUSCALOOSA | Nothing was going to stop Alexa Guarachi on Saturday.

Not singles.

Not doubles.

Not a rain delay.

And certainly not the Memphis Tigers.

The University of Alabama’s 5-foot-8 senior played with power and passion to lead the ninth-seeded Crimson Tide to a 4-0 victory over No. 33 Memphis in the Tuscaloosa Regional final in the NCAA Women’s Tennis Championship.

Alabama (21-5) advanced to the program’s first appearance in the round of 16 since the NCAA field was increased to 64 teams in 1999. UA will face eighth-seeded California in Champaign, Ill., at 9 a.m. Friday.

Guarachi supplied attitude and energy to Alabama’s matchup against Memphis. With partner Mary Anne Macfarlane, she got the Crimson Tide’s sweep started with an 8-1 doubles victory over Tiffany Welcher and Alyssa Hibberd.

“We set the tone with the doubles and we just got on a roll,” Guarachi said.

Moving over to singles, playing in the No. 2 position against Welcher, a former UA player, Guarachi was overpowering. She hit scorching forehands and blistering backhands, and attacked the net at every opportunity to put points away in a 6-4, 6-3 win.

The match was interrupted by rainfall that held up play for about an hour, but Guarachi came out attacking again when it resumed.

“I felt like that’s our biggest attribute is when we have a lot of energy as a team,” Guarachi said. “I feel like being a senior I have to sometimes create that for the team. We didn’t have as much energy (in Friday’s win over Northwestern State) and we got away with it, but today we knew they were going to come after us. We said no, this is our house, we’re going to go after them.”

When she wasn’t hitting winners, Guarachi was yelling encouragement to her teammates in full voice, her cries resonating over the other courts at the Alabama Tennis Stadium.

“She set the tone with her energy, her mentality, her fight, her competitive spirit,” Alabama coach Jenny Mainz said. “You could tell that she decided she was going to make it happen, she was going to lead on the court.”

Guarachi has played a major role in the progression of the Alabama women’s tennis team. A resident of Destin, Fla., she was offered scholarships by other top programs at a time when the UA program was down. The daughter of a former Alabama men’s tennis player and great-granddaughter of a player on the Crimson Tide’s 1930 national championship football team, she followed the family bloodline.

“I was all fired up,” Guarachi said. “I wanted to make history. This was my last home match, being a senior, so I wanted to go out with a bang.”

Maya Jansen and Emily Zabor won singles matches for UA. Macfarlane won the first set of her match and was behind in the second when Alabama got the match-clinching point, ending play. Antonia Foehse was up 6-2, 5-4 and Natalia Maynetto was 3-3 in the second set after dropping the first.

“We won the first set on five courts,” Mainz said. “We came ready to play.”

<p>TUSCALOOSA | Nothing was going to stop Alexa Guarachi on Saturday.</p><p>Not singles.</p><p>Not doubles.</p><p>Not a rain delay.</p><p>And certainly not the Memphis Tigers.</p><p>The University of Alabama's 5-foot-8 senior played with power and passion to lead the ninth-seeded Crimson Tide to a 4-0 victory over No. 33 Memphis in the Tuscaloosa Regional final in the NCAA Women's Tennis Championship.</p><p>Alabama (21-5) advanced to the program's first appearance in the round of 16 since the NCAA field was increased to 64 teams in 1999. UA will face eighth-seeded California in Champaign, Ill., at 9 a.m. Friday.</p><p>Guarachi supplied attitude and energy to Alabama's matchup against Memphis. With partner Mary Anne Macfarlane, she got the Crimson Tide's sweep started with an 8-1 doubles victory over Tiffany Welcher and Alyssa Hibberd.</p><p>“We set the tone with the doubles and we just got on a roll,” Guarachi said.</p><p>Moving over to singles, playing in the No. 2 position against Welcher, a former UA player, Guarachi was overpowering. She hit scorching forehands and blistering backhands, and attacked the net at every opportunity to put points away in a 6-4, 6-3 win.</p><p>The match was interrupted by rainfall that held up play for about an hour, but Guarachi came out attacking again when it resumed.</p><p>“I felt like that's our biggest attribute is when we have a lot of energy as a team,” Guarachi said. “I feel like being a senior I have to sometimes create that for the team. We didn't have as much energy (in Friday's win over Northwestern State) and we got away with it, but today we knew they were going to come after us. We said no, this is our house, we're going to go after them.”</p><p>When she wasn't hitting winners, Guarachi was yelling encouragement to her teammates in full voice, her cries resonating over the other courts at the Alabama Tennis Stadium.</p><p>“She set the tone with her energy, her mentality, her fight, her competitive spirit,” Alabama coach Jenny Mainz said. “You could tell that she decided she was going to make it happen, she was going to lead on the court.”</p><p>Guarachi has played a major role in the progression of the Alabama women's tennis team. A resident of Destin, Fla., she was offered scholarships by other top programs at a time when the UA program was down. The daughter of a former Alabama men's tennis player and great-granddaughter of a player on the Crimson Tide's 1930 national championship football team, she followed the family bloodline.</p><p>“I was all fired up,” Guarachi said. “I wanted to make history. This was my last home match, being a senior, so I wanted to go out with a bang.”</p><p>Maya Jansen and Emily Zabor won singles matches for UA. Macfarlane won the first set of her match and was behind in the second when Alabama got the match-clinching point, ending play. Antonia Foehse was up 6-2, 5-4 and Natalia Maynetto was 3-3 in the second set after dropping the first.</p><p>“We won the first set on five courts,” Mainz said. “We came ready to play.”</p><p>Results</p><p>Singles</p><p>1. No. 34 Mary Anne Macfarlane (UA) vs. No. 55 Courtney Collins (MEM) 6-4, 1-4, unf.</p><p>2. No. 36 Alexa Guarachi (UA) def. Tiffany Welcher (MEM) 6-4, 6-3</p><p>3. No. 118 Maya Jansen (UA) def. Skylar Kuykendall (MEM) 6-3, 6-2</p><p>4. Antonia Foehse (UA) vs. Liza Tymchenko (MEM) 6-2, 5-4, unf.</p><p>5. Natalia Maynetto (UA) vs. Caroline Wegner (MEM) 5-7, 3-3, unf.</p><p>6. Emily Zabor (UA) def. Alyssa Hibberd (MEM) 6-4, 6-2</p><p>Doubles</p><p>1. No. 7 Guarachi/Macfarlane (UA) def. Welcher/Hibberd (MEM) 8-1</p><p>2. No. 83 Foehse/Jansen (UA) def. No. 77 Gray/Collins (MEM) 8-5</p><p>3. Maynetto/Zabor (UA) vs. No. 64 Mikesz/Wegner (MEM) 7-2, unf.</p><p>Reach Tommy Deas at tommy@tidesports.com or at 205-722-0224.</p>